Passing a little gas from time to time is standard for most cats, so it might not be too concerning if you start to notice that your kitten farts occasionally. We’ve all been there, the kitten isn’t reacting very well to the new food, and there’s a little extra stink in the litterbox. But if your kitten appears to be continually farting, it can be a lot more concerning. So now you’re wondering, why does my kitten fart so much?
Your kitten is farting so much because they are swallowing too much air when they eat. The air processes through their gut and becomes gas. Other common problems are dairy-based foods, possible hairballs, or kitten food with too much fiber in their diet.
All of those problems can lead to excessive gas, but there are more concerning causes as well.
Is It Normal For A Kitten To Fart A Lot
Sometimes it’s normal for kittens to fart a lot, especially young kittens who are just starting to transition to wet food or transitioning from wet food to kibble. Learning how to eat new foods commonly causes cats to swallow too much air, which turns into gas in their stomachs.
However, excessive farting outside of those normal transitions can be a cause for concern. If your kitten starts farting a lot, you might want to check their diet and make sure there aren’t any dairy products included.
It’s also not a good idea to give your kitten milk to drink since cats quickly become lactose intolerant as they grow up. Cows’ milk also doesn’t offer a good balance of nutrients and fats for growing kittens, which can lead to them gaining too much weight and developing other health issues in addition to farting.
Excessive farting in your kitten can also signify that there is too much fiber in their diet, which can often be fixed by changing to a different brand of food.
The last common cause of farting in cats is digestive issues. These range from digestive disorders to food allergies and can usually only be diagnosed and adequately treated by a qualified vet. If you suspect your kitten might have a digestive problem or they are farting too much, it’s essential to get them to a vet as soon as possible.
These issues may be more urgent if your cat is farting frequently and also having diarrhea or constipation. You should immediately take your cat to the vet if your cat is experiencing these symptoms, especially if they also seem uncomfortable.
How Often Do Cats Fart
Cats farting is usually relatively rare and often not something they are doing intentionally unless they are in a litterbox.
That’s because farting is mostly involuntary, and your cat is more likely to think that they need to go to the bathroom than that they need to fart.
Occasional farts are fine, so it’s usually not a big issue if your cat farts once or twice, or every few days to every few weeks.
Suppose your cat is farting more often than that you should consider the other issues that can cause farting in kittens. Hairball issues are also more common in adult cats than kittens.
If hairballs are causing a lot of farting and other digestive problems for your cat, you should consider using a hairball supplement or other treatments to help prevent hairballs. Your vet can also advise on the best options for reducing the number of hairballs your cat is experiencing, which can help reduce gas and keep your cat a lot more comfortable at the same time.
Why Is My Kitten So Farty
We’ve already discussed some of the common reasons for kittens to be farty, but there is one more reason worth touching on. If your cat is very young, especially if they are a rescue cat or a cat that was separated from their mother too young, your kitten’s farts might be explained by the gut flora that is still setting up their digestive system.
Usually, cats pass on some of their digestive bacteria during birth, nursing, grooming, and other care. But young cats might not have complete digestive flora right away, which can cause more flatulence for a while until the right bacteria are introduced and can colonize their gut.
This can be why younger kittens are so farty and why many of them seem to outgrow their fartiness on their own.
However, it’s still a good idea to take your kitten to the vet even if you suspect that this is the cause of their fartiness since your vet can give you some advice for how to support your cat and make sure they are still getting adequate nutrition. Your vet can also help rule out other, more problematic, causes of excessive gas and fartiness in kittens.
Do Kittens Fart When They Are Scared
Yes! Kittens can fart when they are scared or startled as part of their body tensing up and reacting to whatever scared them in the first place.
If your cat seems to fart frequently when they are scared, it’s usually not a big problem, but keep an eye on your kitten to make sure they aren’t showing other signs of distress or digestive problems.
It’s also important to pay attention to how often your kitten is getting scared. Startle reactions should decrease over time, but a kitten that seems to be getting more reactive and reactionary might be dealing with anxiety or other problems that increase their stress.
If your kitten seems to be struggling to adjust or showing a lot of signs of anxiety, this may also be a good reason to call your vet and get some advice on options to help your kitten calm down and adjust to life in their new home.
Why Does My Kitten Fart When I Pick Him Up
There are a lot of reasons your kitten might fart when you pick them up. For one thing, the pressure from picking them up might squeeze the gas out. It’s also possible that your kitten is startled when you pick them up, and the fart is an involuntary reaction.
But, perhaps the most adorable option is that your kitten is farting because they feel safe and are relaxed and calm when you pick them up. Relaxing can naturally lead to passing gas, which means that farting when you pick up your kitten is surprisingly common.
As long as your kitten isn’t showing any other signs of distress when you pick them up, you probably don’t need to worry about the occasional fart.
How To Stop My Kitten From Farting
Most of the time, you don’t need to worry about your kitten farts, and there isn’t much reason to try. However, if the farting is causing problems, distressing for you or your kitten, or just embarrassing and uncomfortable, you might want to try and reduce how often it happens.
One common thing is that your kitten will likely grow out of it and fart less as they get older.
In the meantime, changing their food can help your kitten fart less in some circumstances. Finding a way to slow your kitten down when eating, like using a slow feeder if they are fed kibble, can also help. Feeding smaller portions of wet food and feeding more often can also be a solution.
If that isn’t working, switching a kitten that currently eats kibble to wet food can help.
Still not getting results? It’s probably time to call your vet to make sure your cat doesn’t have any food sensitivities or digestive issues and get some more advice on solving the problem.
My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!
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